THE LEPER KING AND HIS HEIRS by Professor Bernard Hamilton ( 9780521641876 )

Item Details

Title:

THE LEPER KING AND HIS HEIRS
BALDWIN IV AND THE CRUSADER KINGDOM OF JERUSALEM

By:

Professor Bernard Hamilton

Format:

Hardback

List price:

£99.00

Our price:

£86.63

Discount:

12.5% off

You save:

£12.37

ISBN 10:

052164187X

ISBN 13:

9780521641876

Availability:

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Stock:

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Publisher:

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS

Pub. date:

18 May, 2000

Pages:

316

Description:

A vivid revisionary account of the reign of Baldwin IV of Jerusalem.

Synopsis:

The reign of King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem (1174-85) has traditionally been seen as a period of decline when, because of the king's illness, power came to be held by unsuitable men who made the wrong policy decisions. Notably, they ignored the advice of Raymond of Tripoli and attacked Saladin, who was prepared to keep peace with the Franks while uniting the Islamic near east under his rule. This book challenges that view, arguing that peace with Saladin was not a viable option for the Franks; that the young king, despite suffering from lepromatous leprosy (the most deadly form of the disease) was an excellent battle leader who strove with some success to frustrate Saladin's imperial ambitions; that Baldwin had to remain king in order to hold factions in check; but that the society over which he presided was, contrary to what is often said, vigorous and self-confident.

Illustrations:

11 b/w illus. 2 maps

Publication:

Imprint:

Cambridge University Press

Returns:

Returnable

Some other items by this author:

CHRISTIAN WORLD OF THE MIDDLE AGES

CHRISTIAN WORLD OF THE MIDDLE AGES (HB)

CRUSADER SYRIA IN THE THIRTEENTH CENTURY (HB)

CRUSADERS, CATHARS AND THE HOLY PLACES